Life After Death: We Can Survive/Issue 4
“It’s been almost a month since the night we went camping. That’s still so hard to believe. It’s already been a few weeks since the power cut out. Before then, I spent day after day reading articles about this outbreak. People getting sick and dying all over the place. People abandoning cities. The military tried to come in and take control in some places, but that didn’t last long. The power outage caused most of our food to go bad, so we have to go scavenging for stuff now. We’ve gone twice already, and we’re going on our third run today. We found this shopping centre that was hardly touched. Well, at least until we get there.” “Leslie,” a voice called from downstairs. “Time to go!” “Devon’s actually calling me down now to go, so I’ll leave this here. I hope I don’t forget about this thing again. -Leslie Brandt” Leslie put her diary in her backpack, which also contained a bottle of water and the remains of her purple flower, and left the room. ---- The red car traveled slowly down the road, which was littered with garbage, surrounded by run down houses and apartments, broken fences, and an occasional dead body. As they turned the corner, past an apartment complex, they saw the strip mall at the end of the road. Only, it was surrounded by at least half a dozen of the dead. “Shit,” Devon said to himself as he pulled over on the side of the road. “What are you doing?” Leslie asked, worriedly. “The engine will draw them to us. We’re gonna have to go in on foot.” “Are you crazy?” “We need this stuff. We’re almost out of food--a few more days, and we will be. Trust me, we can handle this. We do what we usually do, and we’ll be fine.” “Yeah, you’re crazy.” “Didn’t say I wasn’t. Now come on, let’s go.” Devon reached behind him and grabbed a duffle bag, while Leslie grabbed the backpack that was at her feet and swung it over her shoulder. The two stepped out of the car and quietly pushed their doors shut, and began walking to the shopping center on the opposite side of the road. “Alright, let’s cross,” Devon said silently as they were across from the center. “Watch your step.” They reached the other side of the road and pushed up against the wall. They slid down until they were at the end, and Devon poked his head around the corner. There were three of the dead immediately in front of the first store. “Ready?” Devon whispered back to Leslie, and she nodded in response. Devon crept up behind one of the dead and grabbed it from behind, restraining its arms, and then dragged it back. Leslie popped out and stabbed it in the head, and Devon laid its body on the ground. But as she went back around the corner, Leslie stumbled dropped her knife. The rest of the dead heard this and immediately began shuffling toward the two. “Gonna have to do it the hard way,” Devon said as he pulled the hatchet from its sheath. He walked forward, slammed it into the head of the one closest to him, and then dragged the body backwards so he would have enough space between him and the next to pull out the hatchet. He struggled to get it out as the dead body began nearing him. Devon looked over and saw Leslie prepare to run out. “Leslie no!” he yelled, but she ignored him, running out and stabbing it in the back of the head. Devon shook his head, placed his foot on the head of the body, and yanked out the hatchet, nearly falling back in the process. “What the hell?” Devon chastised. “That was dangerous. You already tripped once, you could-” “You would have died.” “I would have handled it.” “He was right there and you couldn’t get your axe out. How were you gonna handle it?” “I don’t know, but I would have. I swung it too hard, it’s never got stuck like that before. Anyway, just...stay back. I’ll take care of the rest.” Leslie backed up and waited at the corner as Devon marched forward. He swung the hatchet into the side of one’s head, and swiftly pulled it back out. Another approached him, and he planted it straight into its face. Two more remained, and Devon waited for them to approach. When they were mere feet away, Devon slammed the hatchet into the top of the closest one’s head and pushed it against the other one, knocking it to the ground. He shoved the first one’s body on the second one’s to restrain it, yanked the hatchet out, and then hit the second. Devon rose to his feet and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Fuck,” he said. “That was a workout.” He turned back and gestured for Leslie to come toward him as he put his hatchet away. They both walked up to the door of the store closest to the road. It was a miniature grocery store that appeared untouched. Devon tried looking through the glass, but the sun was behind the store and thus the inside was dark. He reached his hand into the duffle bag and pulled out a flashlight, shining it through the window. He scanned aisle after aisle. Everything was there and no one was inside. “Alright, we’re clear,” Devon said. “Let’s get our shit and get out.” Devon opened the door, causing a bell to ring, and the two walked inside. Leslie followed close behind as they walked to the left to the canned goods section. Devon passed Leslie the flashlight as he began scooping cans off the shelf and stuffing them in his bag. They were almost finished clearing the shelf when suddenly, the bell on the door rang again. Devon snatched the flashlight from Leslie’s hand, turned it off, and pulled her to the back of the aisle. He slowly pulled out his hatchet and held it out, prepared to fight for his life. He heard the footsteps go up and down the aisles, very slowly. They eventually got louder and louder when suddenly, two figures walked past, barely illuminated by the light coming in through the window. Devon adjusted himself as he saw them, but he accidentally banged his bag into the shelf, causing the cans to rattle. “Who’s there?” a shaky voice asked. “Shut the fuck up, man,” another whispered in return. Devon was motionless. He knew he screwed up and now he feared the consequences. He heard the footsteps come closer and closer until all of a sudden, the aisle was engulfed in light as the two figures stood face to face with them; one holding a flashlight, and the other holding a gun. “Drop your fucking weapons,” the man with the gun said. He was a young asian man with black hair that fell down onto his shoulders. The man next to him holding the flashlight looked to be about the same age, but he was white and had short, auburn colored hair, and his leg was bleeding profusely. Devon put his hatchet in his sheath and Leslie set her knife on the ground. "Shit, Scott..." the other man said. "There's a kid there. You're not really gonna shoot them, are you?" "Only if I have to." The man with the flashlight bent down and grabbed his leg. “Fuck,” he said. “Jesus man...I need...I need to sit down. Fuck...” “Go wait by the door,” Scott replied. “I’ll be done in a minute.” When the man was gone, Scott walked forward and aimed the gun at Devon’s head. “Give me the bag,” Scott demanded. “Please don’t do t-” Devon tried to say. “I have a loaded gun pointed at your fucking head. You’d be smart to shut the fuck up and just give me the bag.” Devon looked down in shame, dropped the bag onto the ground, and pushed it forward. Scott bent down, his gun still aimed at Devon, and rooted through it. “God damn it,” he said as he stood up. “God fucking damn it!” Scott kicked the bag as hard as he could and it slid back toward Devon. “Was-was there something you were looking for?” “Pain meds. Antibiotics. Anything. We came in here looking for some...some Tylenol or something--anything to help his leg.” “Was he bit?” “No--what, do you think we’re retarded? Obviously he isn’t bit, or I’d have chopped his leg off already.” “Why would you do that? I thought the bite kills?” “Yeah, the bite kills. But it doesn’t just instantly take over your body; it’s an infection. If you can cut off the infection before it spreads, you can save yourself. I’ve seen it happen firsthand.” “Well...if it wasn’t a bite, then what happened?” “Does it really matter?” Scott sighed. “We were raiding an abandoned house and there was a broken fence. He ran right into a nail sticking out of a piece and it sliced his leg open.” “Damn.” “Yeah, it’s bad. The lack of something to treat it is worse.” “There isn’t anywhere else nearby to get meds?” “No...well, actually...there’s a drug store just a few blocks down the road. I was planning on taking him there but…” “What?” “It’s surrounded. There’s dozens of corpses. That’s partly why I haven’t just shot you two, yet. I mean, if his leg wasn’t injured, we might be able to take them on...but I’m just one guy, and I only have so many bullets. Scavenging isn’t easy anymore, especially with how many of them there are now.” Devon turned to Leslie and they exchanged knowing looks. “I could help you,” Devon offered. “I don’t have a lot of experience with the dead but...I mean, every little bit counts, right?” “I don’t know you. I don’t know if I can trust you.” “Is it worth letting your friend die over?” Scott looked down, pondering the idea. “Alright. Let’s hurry.” “Leslie,” Devon said. “Stay here with his friend. I don’t want you-” “No, I want to go too,” she pleaded. “Please don’t leave me here.” “You heard what he said. There’s dozens.” “And I saved you from one earlier when there were only seven. What if it happens again?” “Scott’s there.” “And what if he can’t get to you? Please, I want to help.” Devon sighed. “Fine, but you stay back and don’t go near any of the dead unless you need to. Understood?” “Yeah.” “Alright,” Devon looked back up at Scott. “Let’s go.” ---- The three walked toward the front of the store. Scott held the door open for Devon and Leslie, and then looked down at his friend, still sitting beside the door. “We’ll be back soon, Zach,” he said. “Just hang in there.” Credits * * * * Deaths *None Trivia *First appearance of Scott. *First appearance of Zach.